Little bugs and bigger bugs...

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Weather was magnificent and plan had been to head off to the Audobon Zoo but things conspired against a little and that could not occur but not a major.

Had breakfast in the hotel just so as to get at some fresh fruit and slightly more orthodox food...the food here is fantastic but takes a little to get used to it and is very rich. Its consistency is generally softer as in Gumbo, jambalya, red beans etc which are all more consistent with a thick minestrone or slightly heavier. Miss something to chew on sometimes and can sit a little heavy sometimes...the mainstays of the diet stem from poorer aspects of the regions history and people. Very original and generally tasty, save for grits.

Then headed to the Audobon Insectarium, part of the Audobon Institute. Interesting thing to learn was that John Audobon had no link at all to the institute and it was formed after his death in his name although his daughter or some other relative was involved in its inception. Did not know either that he was neither an anthropologist or any form of scientist..in fact he was born in Haiti, taken to France as a child and then sent from France to the Americas when he was 18 so as to avoid being conscripted into Napoleons army. Once in America he set about drawing and painting all the avifauna of the Americas and his work ended as the most complete on the subject. Wikipedia is the bomb ain;t it!

Anyway here in N'awlins there is the Audobon Zoo, Audobon Insectarium and the Audobon Aquarium. Today for $32 per adult and $19 per child got entry to both the Aquarium and the Insectarium and will go to the Aquarium for a couple of hours tomorrow especially if it is raining. The Insectarium was really good and the kids and I were in there for nearly 2 hours. Youngest traveller was on form and as there was lots of 'hands on' stuff with bugs, she was hands on a lot of bugs. She held huge beetles and assorted bugs and was just a little miffed that Harriet the Tarantula was allowed to come out to play. These beetles the size of small birds were in a big pot of mulch and the attendant is digging down to find them and was just taking too long so Caitlin piles in and just starts pulling them out very gently. Reubs just shook his head in disgust. They even have a bug kitchen where they put different types of edible worms into cookies, flies into like a mango dip and some chocolate dipped crickets and May fly type stuff...if you eat any of it they give you a stamp on your hand that says 'I ate a bug'...guess who got a stamp on her hand!!! (so did dad but Reubs was not having a bar of it...) Got a little embarassing when it became apparent that Caitlin had mistaken it for the lunch buffet and wanted to know where the big plates were... she'll be munching on cicadas all summer when we get home.

Then we wandered along the Riverwalk in the brilliant sunshine and had lunch in an arcade overlooking the river alongside where the steamboat docks...cool area to be. And then just for something different casually made our way through some different areas of the French Quarter.

Later in the afternoon headed into the Warehouse district and down towards the Garden District. This was completely different from the French Quarter and much cleaner and tidier without the same type of character. Depending on weather will ride the trams through these areas all the way tomorrow. Down at the other end of St Charles Avenue are a number of old plantation style houses and it is one of the most valuable areas of US real estate. Tree lined avenues cruised by trams. Should be interesting for mum and dad and mind numbingly boring for the kids.

Back in the hotel now and there is a bad vibe in New Orleans tonight as the Saints got beaten by the Seattle Seahawks today and it was make or break in the play offs. The Saints won the Superbowl last year... this year they are out of the competition a little early. Locals are not happy not so much about them losing but how they have not performed to the expected standard all season. Everywhere you hear the locals talking about how badly the Saints have done and they are pretty angry about it.

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Photos

The Audobon Insectarium..
..something just a little different..

..wall displays..
..these are about 6 foot high..

In the underground..
..closest you can ever come to living in the bugs world..

Another gator..
..kids drawn to these fellas it seems..

The buildings..
..next door to the Jackson Memorial..

Just another building..
..got a kind of could collapse at any time feel to it in the French Quarter..

..and just another building..
..bad photos don;t do justice to the feel of the place that these old buildings give the area..

Looking back down Chartres
..this is one of our favourite streets just to wander down..beautiful day as should be able to see..

Robert E Lee
...his column at sunset..not overly special but so what..

Comments

[JB/Nana]

???Too tempting to title
Hi Guys Now Caitlin I have a question for you==Should I leave all the caterpillars on the Swan Plant to turn into Butterflies or would you like them deep fried in Tempura batter when you come home? They will be fat and juicy by then.Go princess-you are a star. Reuben I'm with you =no bugs for me deep fried or any which way!! Sounds like a fun place and lots to learn about critters though. Have you heard lots of good music? It looks a very interesting city with plenty to do.No news from me.Hot day again today.All good here.Loads of love to you 4

[Poppa]

Wot's she like......?
Absolutely brilliant - what a girl Caitlin is - always ready to try something different. Somehow Reuben I am on your side here as bugs don't appeal! Thanks for taking the time each day to update us all - it is great reading about your exploits. I think Nana has made somr comment about Swan plants and caterpillars and the BBQ Caitlin - your call! Lotsa luv